Grain-binder



v heets--Sheet 1. 0. B..WITHINGT0N.

Grain Binder.

No. 230,383. Patented July 20,1880.

' A 3She3ts-Sheet 2. C. B. WITHIN'GTON.

Grafi-g1 Binder.-

.5 orne ys N. PETERS. PHOTO-LITHOGRAHER, WASHINGTON D C 3 SheetYs-Sheet'3,

o. B.WITHINGT0N.;

Grain Binde-12vv Nd. 230,383. Patented July 2o, 1880.

wijz es-e/s I NV PETERS, PNOTOALITHDGRAFHER, WASHINGTON, D C,

y NITFD 'STATES PATENT FFIcE.

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GRAIN-FINDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 230,333, dated July zo, leso.

Application nieu .Apri-1 1o, 1879. f

.To all whom it may concern: f

'Be itv known that I, CHARLES B. WITHIN@- ToN,`of Janesville, in the county of Rockand( YState of Wisconsin, have in vented certain new and useful Improvements in Grain- Binders,

which are fully described in the following specification, reference being had to the ac-j companying drawings, in which- Figure l represents an end view of a harvester embodying` my improvemeiits, looking toward the binder end `of the machine; Fig. 2, a bottom plan of part 'of the mainframe and driving mechanism; Fig. 3, a longitudinal sec' tion of the harvester, taken on the line x 0c;l Figl; Fig. 4, a detail section ofthe binding: apparatus, looking from the front, and taken on the line y y, Fig. l; Fig. 5, a front detail elevation, showing the devices for imparting motion to the binding apparatus; Fig. 6, a rear detail elevation of the rack and pinion on the main binding-shaft; Fig. 7, a plan section ofthe same, taken on the lin'e e z, Fig. 6; Fig. 8, detail views, showing the construction of the main pinion; Fig. 9, a front elevation, on an enlarged scale, of the tying mechanism; Fig-.'10, a side elevation of the same, partly in section; Fig. l1, a section showing' the bandcutter, taken'on the liner c, Fig.` l0; Fig. l2, an elevation of the revolving tyer detached; Fig. 13, an end view of the driving-cam on the driving-wheel shaft; Fig. 14, a detail plan, showing the clutch which engages with the ratchet on the end of the cam.V

My invention relates to that class of harvesters in which the out grain is delivered automatically from the platform on which it falls to automaticl binding mechanism, by means of which the bundles are bound upon the ma-l chine and then discharged upon the ground.

The first part of the invention relates to improvements in the elevator mechanism, which is adjustable toward and from the platform at its lower end, and is provided with notched or hooked arms which reach out over the grain and get it down and gather it in.

The second part vof the invention relates to improvements in mechanism for automatically binding the bundlesof grain,` this mechanism being more especially intended for the use'of' string or cord as the material for the band.

In this division are also included improvements in'devices for gathering and compressing the bundle, the tying mechanism pertaining to the binder, and other parts going to make Aup a complete binding apparatus.

r`Thespecial devices constituting the several improvements, and the construction and operationof the same, will be hereinafter more fullydcscribed, and will be distinctly pointed outin the claims.

lThe general features of grain-harvesting machines are well known, and do not require to be entirely shown andl particularly described in connection with my improvements. Many 'of the special features of construction of the machine here shown are the same as shown and described in an application for patent filed by me vMay 7, 1878, and therefore a special description thereof may be omitted here, the present machine being constructed on the same general planas that shown in the said application.

ln the drawings, A represents the main or supporting frame of a harvester, which is carried by an ordinary main wheel,`A/, and supports a grain-platform, B, in this instance hung on swinging arms b, and carrying the elevator C independently ofl the main frame, Aas in my former invention. I have here shown the forward swinging arm b, however, pivoted on the` main frame in line withthe axle of the driving-wheel, so as to be concentric therewith.l In practice, this attachment may be made by hanging the arm on the axle; or, in someinstances, the axle itself may be extended fand bent downward to form the supportingarm.

The elevating apparatus consists of notched or toothed slats c on vthe back of the elevator and notched or toothed vbars D, mounted von crank d at their. lower ends and at their upper ends sliding in guides d. The lower ends of these bars are also provided with extensions and provided with hooks d?, so that in the movement lof these bars given by the cranks the hooked arms will extendout over the grain going' in at the inner end of the platform and crowd it down and gather it in underneath the arms, thereby preventing it from rising or arms D", extending down below the cranks f IOO and accumulating outside of the elevator, as is sometimes the case with ordinary elevating mechanism, especially when the grain is criukled. The upper cross -bar, d3, of the toothed-bar frame is supported loosely by staples c on the elevator-frame, within which it is free to rise and fall, and is held against the grain by a spring, E, in this instance attached to the seat-board or support e. The upper end of the toothed frame is therefore elastic and yielding, to accommodate 'all changes in the bulk of grain. The lower end ofthe same frame is supported by arms E', which are pivoted at their upper ends to the elevator-frame and at their lower ends carry the shaft on which are the. cranks. It will thus be seen that the lower end of the bar-frameA may be swung in and out rela-tively to the platform. It is adjusted and held in position by means of a rcck-shaft, c', having a crank-arm at one end, connected by a lilik to the cross-bar c2, at tached to the swinging arms, and at the other end provided with a lever, e3, which engages with a suitable notched plate, e4, Fig. l. The movement of this lever adjusts the lower end of the frame, and the notched plate holds the same in any required position. With this improvement the crowding and bunching of grain underneath the elevator, which often occurs to such an extent as to either stop or break the machine, is entirely relieved.

On the axle of the driving-wheel is `mounted a cam-cylinder, F, outside of the wheel, which is provided with a cam-groove, f, which serves the purpose of driving the tying mechanism and giving the required intermittent movements to different parts of the binding apparatus` hy means of devices which I will proceed to explain.

The tying or twisting mechanism is driven by a shaft, G, arranged at the side of the machine. A pinion, g, is mounted loosely on the forward end of this shaft, and just in the rear of it is a collar, g', fixed ou the shaft and provided with a flange extending over the slotted head of the pinion, as lshown in Fig. 7 of the drawings. The pinion is provided with a spring-pawl, g2, Fig. 8, which engages with the notch g3 on the inner face of the ange of the collar.

A sliding rack-bar, G', is mounted in suitable gnideways on the main frame, and arranged to projectoutward over the pinion g, so that its rack will engage with the latter, as shown in the drawings. The parts are arranged so that when this rack is pushed outward the pinion will turn loosely on the shaft G, but when the movement of the rack is reversed and it is drawn inward the pawl on the pinion engages with the collar, and so rotates the said shaft.

The rack-bar is reciprocated by means of a vibrating lever, F', Fig. 2, pivoted to a suitable support underneath the main frame, and provided with a pin at its rear end, which enters the cam-groove j'. At its forward end it is connected, by a pivoted link, f', with a stud depending from the rack-bar, so that the vibration ofthe lever occasioned by the rotation of the cam on the main axle will evidently` reciprocate the rack-bar.

A pin, g4, projects forward from the upper edge of the collar g', and the rack-bar slides outward underneath this pin when in its highest position, and the parts are timed so that the pin is brought into this position just as the fastening of the band is completed and the rotation of the driving-shaft G is suspended.

It willlbe seen that this position of the pin above the rack-bar will serve to lock the shaft G during the outward reciprocation of the 1n order to provide for the necessary movement of the pin with the collar to which it is fastened, notches g5 are cut in the rear edge of the bar, arranged so that when the bar begins to start back, thereby rotating the shaft G, the pin will be permitted to pass down through this notch below the bar, and when the inward reciprocation of the bar is about completed the pin will be permitted to pass up through the outward notch in the bar into its locking 1 position.

A spring-pawl,f2, Figs. l and 6, is arranged to engage with the notch f3 ou the rim of the collar g,to prevent any backward movement of the shaft G while it is atrest; and as the forward movement of the same is prevented by the stop-pin above described, it is evident that the shaft G while at rest is locked iu both directions.

A bevel-wheel, G2, is fixed on the rear end of the shaft G, so as to turn therewith, and is provided on its rear face with a crank-pin. This wheel engages with a bevel-pinion, h, which is attached to the lower end of an upright tubular sha-ft, H, mounted in a tubular bearing, h'. A slide-rod, I, is arranged within the tubular shaft H, the lower end being connected by a pitman, 52, Fig. 10, to the crankpin on the bevel-wheel G2. The shaft H extends somewhat above its bearing, and is contracted beyond the latter, so as to form a much smaller tube, which is provided with a longitudinal slot, h2, Figs. l() and l2, above the bearing, and extending nearly to the eXtreme upper end of the tube. Just above the bearing the body of the tube is cut away slightly on the slotted side thereof, as shown in Fig. 9 of the drawings, and on the same side of this tube a jaw, K, is arranged, being pivoted to the tube at its lower end. This jaw has a curved hook or prong,'lf, at its extreme upper end, which ,is arranged so as to strike against the upper end of the tube when closed, and just below it, is another prong, 7c', which is 'arranged transversely to the body of the jaw, so as to project acrossthe opening between the jaw and the tube when the jaw is open, as well as when it is closed. The lower end of this jaw is bent. or angled, the bent or angular portion thereof being pivoted to the tube, and

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the body of the jaw projects slightly below this portion and is provided with a hook, 7a2, curved slightly inward.

The slide I, within the shaft H, extends up into the contracted portion of the latter, and is itself decreased in size, so as to conform to the smaller portion ofthe tube. At lits extreme upper end it is provided with a hook, t', Flgs. 10 and 12, and its length is such that when the slide is raised to its fullest extent this hook will just be projected from the upper end of the tube, as shown in Fig. 12 of the drawings, but, of course, will be retracted within the tube as soon as the slide is pulled down. A notch, i', is also-provided in the side ofv the rod l', somewhat below the hook and on the side next to the slot in the tube, and a pin, J, is inserted in the rod on this side and arrang'ed to move up and down in the slot ot' the tube, thereby securing the hook i in the same position always Whenever projected, and also t'orcin g the jaw K open by contact with a cross-pin in the lower endot' the jaw.

The hook on the lower end ot' the jaw K is arranged with respect to the sliding rod 1 so that whenever the latter is pushed upward it will throw the jaw against the tube, as shown in Fig. 10 ot' the drawings, but when pulled down to its fullest extent the bent lowerend will enter into the notch i', and permit the jaw to open, as shown in Fig. 9 ot1 the drawln s. I

i(From this construction and arrangementot' parts it will be evident that a rotation of the wheel G2 will not only revolve the shaft H, but will also, at the same time, reciprocate the sliding rod l, alternately projecting the hook t' from' and sheathing' it in the upper end ot' the tube, according to the. position ot' the crank-pin on the wheel. The upper end otthe tube is eut oit' squarely, as shown in Figs. l0 and 12 ot' the drawings.

A band-holder, L, is arranged justinside of the tying-head above described. lt is ot spiral form, like that shown and described in my prior invention, and is inclosed in a tube, the tube being arranged so that one of its slots, l, will be directly opposite the tyer, and just in l'ront ot' this slot is arranged astraight bar or plate. L', having in its upper end a recess or slot, l'. The cutting-blade M is pivoted to this plate, as shown in` Fig. ll ot' the drawings. lt is of peculiar construction, having two straight rectangular sides, m, at the angle ot' which is a notch, m', and at the corner diagonally opposite thereto is a projecting curved cutting-edge, m2. A bar or slide, N, is arranged immediately underneath this knife, being mounted in suitable ways so as to be free to slide back and t'orth. Itis provided with a tooth or stud, a, on its upper edge, which is arranged to engage with the notch in the cutter, and thereby vibrating the latter positively in both directions. The upper edge of the bar is cut away somewhat on each side ot' the tooth,.to accommodate this movement 0f the cutter. The forward end ofthe slide N is connected by a pivoted link, a', to an angular rod, a2,the lower end of which extends inward and is rigidly attached to the vibrating lever F', so that this rod vibrates with said lever, and consequently -reciprocates the slide, thereby vibratin g the cutter across the slot in the blade L' to' sever the band at the proper moment, and again return it to the position shown in Fig. ll of the drawings.

It will be seen that the straight edgesl of l the cutting-blade' rest alternately upon the slide below, and in this position there can be no movement ot' the cutting-blade, so that the straight edges ot' the cutter serve to lock and; hold the. blade to prevent any movementof the latter except that which is required at the proper moment.

'A pinion, H', is arranged on the shaft H, just above the bevel-pinion lt, which engages with a correspondingpinion, M', at the lower end ot' shaft 2,0m the upper end of which is the spiral band-holder, which is rotated at the proper time by this gearing.

The binding-arm O is mounted on a rockshat't. moved by a crank-arm at its forward end, as in my former application, but the device for operating the crank-arm here employed is somewhat different.

A rock-shaft, U, is mounted on the main frame, and at its rear end is provided with a crank-arm, u, having a pin arranged to enter the cam-slotj'in the cam-cylinder F. Atits forward end it is provided with a second crank-I arm,'u', which is connected by a suitable connecting rod or bar. U', to the crank-arm on the rock-shaft O', which carries the binding-arm. The form ol' the cam-slot is such vas to vibrate the crank-arm u at certain periods, thereby rocking the shaft U, which will evidently transmit a corresponding movement to the rock-shaft O', so as to depress and elevate the binding-arm at the proper intervals. The binding-arm itself' is also of somewhat pecu-y liarconstruction. ltis composed of two parts, o 0, which are brought together to form the point or head of the binding-arm, whence springs the second arm, o', curving upward and backward t'rom the head, as shown in the drawings. vThis construction provides a kind otl head or shield at the extreme end of the binding-arm, which is' adapted to close down over the 4 tying-head and band-cutter, thereby insuring the placing of the band niaterial in proper position in both the tyer and holder without the use ot` a bit'urcated arm,

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The binding-head being' entire except on itsy under side, will also penetrate the grain betv ter for the purpose ot' separating it as 1tl is delivered to the binder.

In the binding-head is a small pulley, o2, over which the band material is passed. A little distance back, on the under side, is a cross-roller, o3, whichserves to depress the band just back ot'. the tyer and in t'rontot' the bundle.

rlhe band-spool P is mounted upon a frame, p, which is hinged at its lower end `to the supporting-frame of the binding apparatus, and extends upward and inward over the bindingarm, its upper end resting loosely on the upper end ofthe elevator, so that the spool-frame is free to vibrate. It will also be noticed that this spool-frame extends across the receiver and above the latter, so that it, to a certain extent, covers and protects the grain, and thereby operates as a guard.

The receiver Q is arranged suitably to catch the grain as it is delivered from the elevator, and is provided with the necessary slot q to accommodate the movement in the bindingarm and other devices. A rock-shaft, It, is arranged just below the receiver and outside of the band-tyer, being provided at its forward end with a crank-arm, r, which is connected by pitman fr to the crank-arm on the rockshaft which carries the binding-arm, so that the oscillation ot the latter will also oscillate the former. On this rock-shaft R is a compressor, S, which is mounted loosely on the shaft. but is held thereto by spiral springs s, attached to the compressor and acting against the 'pin s' on the shaft. It will be noticed that this compressor is arranged just below and opposite to the binding-arm, so that it will be thrown up underneath the bundle, to hold and compress it between the elastic compressor and the binding-arm when the latter is thrown down to gather the bundle and place the band.

A sliding clutch, T, is arranged on the main axle,which is arranged to engage with a clutchface on the outer end of the cam F, which is mounted loosely on the main aXle. This clutch is to be provided with the ordinary shippinglever, so that the operation of the binding mechanism may entirely stop whenever it is desired. rlhe cam-groove in the cylinder F is made up of two sections runnin g in a straight direction around the cam, but on opposite ends of the latter, and inclined sections running across the cam diagonally and connecting the straight sections, which are arranged on opposite sides of the cam. The diagonal sections of this groove wil-l operate, of course, to vibrate the rock-shaft and the lever, which have been above described, as the cam is revolved; but they are arranged so as to operate the shaft and lever at different intervals, and while acting upon the pin of one of these devices the pin of the other will be in one of the straight sections, and thus beheld steadily, thereby preventing any movement of the mechanism connected therewith, so that the binding-arm will be locked during the operation of the tying mechanism, and the latter will be locked during the vibration of the former.

The operation ot' the tying mechanism described above is as follows; The mechanism is arranged and timed so that the tying devices will rest in the position shown 1n Fig. 9 of the drawings, the crank-pin of the operating-pitman being at its lowest point, the hook retracted within the tube, and the jaw open, in which position the parts are locked, as described above. r.lhe band-cutter is also locked,

as shown in Fig. 11 of the drawings. The end of the band is, ot' course, retained by the revolving spiral band-holder, and thence the band extends back, lying between the tube H and the jaw K, being supported by the prong k. As the binding-arm moves downward the band is placed around the bundle, and a second strand thereof laid in lthis same opening ofthe tying-head, and also in the band-holder. At this moment the shaft G commences to rotate, thereby revolving the shaft H, and at the same time starting the rod I upward. The hook t will not, however, be thrust out of the upper end of the tube H until just at the finish of the first revolution of the tube; but as soon as the rod I starts upward with the revolution ot' the wheel G2, thejaw K is closed on the tube above the strands of the band. Now, as the tube revolves, the two strands of the band are wound around the upper end thereof, but the iirst loop will be shed over the upper end of the tube just before the hook t' is projected, the end of the tube being smooth, with nothing to hold the loop thereon. At the commencement of the second revolution of the tube, however, the strands ofthe band will be drawn underneath the hook fi, which ill the meantime has been projected, at which moment the band-cutter is operated to sever the band, and the hook having already started upon its downward movement, the ends are pulled through the loop which has been formed in the cord down into the tube, thereby forming a knot in the band. As soon as the ends are drawn out of the hook the bundle will, ofcourse, fall to the ground as the mechanism comes to a position ot' rest again. When the band is cut the rotation of the band-holder carries the spool end of the cord far enough within its tube to hold it firmly and prevent its being withdrawn. Thejaw K is opened just as the revolution of the wheel G2 ceases, and the binding-arm is then elevated, placing-the band again as above described; at the same time the compressor is thrown down to permit the bound bundle to drop, as stated above.

It should be here stated that the gear-wheel G2 and the pinion l1l are so related to each other that-one revolution of the former will give just two revolutions to the latter; and it will also be seen that during the same time the pitman will cause the sliding rod I to reciprocate once. It will thus be seen that with the two revolutions of the tyer I am enabled to obtain the necessary movement of the pitman to form the knot, and all with a single revolution of the driving-wheel G2.

One great obstacle in obtaining satisfactory cord-binders heretofore has been that with the ordinary devices it is difcult to obtain the necessary motion, after the band is cut, to make the knot and return the tying mechanism toits original position of rest; but with the gearing arranged to give two revolutions IOO IIO

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to the tyer and the pitman device, by which at the same time the necessary movements are obtained to make the knot, this objection iS entirely overcome, and with mechanism comparatively simple.

Some parts of this mechanism, it is obvious,

maybe changed, and some devices may even be dispensed with and others substituted therefor in different parts of the machine, therefore I do not limit myself in all particulars to the details of construction as herein shown and described, so long as the general principles of operation which I have herein set forth are retained.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters' Patent, is-

1. In aharvesting-machine, an elevating device hinged or jointed at its upper end and free to be swung in and out at its lower end, in combination with an adjusting device whereby the attendant may adjust the lower end of the elevator, substantially as and for'the purpose set forth.

2; A swinging frame jointed at its upper end to the elevator-frame, in combination with the arms E', pivoted to the main elevatorframe and to the lower end of the swinging elevating-frame, substantially as described.

3. The notched 0r toothed bars D, hung on cranks at their lower ends and sliding inf guides at their upper ends, in combination with the notched slats C on the main elevatorframe, substantially as described.

4.. The swinging upper frame of the elevator, jointed at its upper end, in combination with the -pivoted arms E', the lever c3, and rock-shaft e', linked to the frame, substantially. as described.

5. The cylinder F, nxed on the shaft of thel driving-wheel, provided with the cam-groove f, in combination with the rock-shaft U, pro-k vided with cran k-arms, as v described, pitman U', and rock-shaft O', on which the binding-arm is mounted, whereby the latter is vibrated and maintained at rest at the proper intervals, substantially as described.

6. The collar g on the shaft Gr, provided with the pin g4, in combination with the pinion and with the rack-bar G', provided with the notches g5, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. The rack-bar G', provided with the notches g5, in combination with the collar g', Xed to the shaft Gr, and-provided with thepin g4 and the notch f3, and the spring-pawlf2, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

8. The drivin g-wheel G2, in combination with the tying-shaft H, the bevel-pinion h, pitman i2, positively connected to the wheels and knotting-shaft, and the knotting devices, arranged to give the tying-shaft two revolutions by a 6o single revolution of the drive-wheel, and to operate the knotting devices by the up-anddown movement of the pitman, substantially as described.

ik', arranged to operate in connection Withthe head of the tying-shaft, substantially as described.

10. The slidingrod I, provided with a recess,

fi', in combination with the jaw K, bent at its lower end to form a hook, k2, substantially as described.

11. The tubular shaft H, provided-with a slot, h2, the sliding rod I, provided with a hook, i, at its upper end, and the pin J on the rod, substantially as described.

' 12. The rotating tubular shaft H, iu combination with the pivoted jaw K, the sliding rod I, provided with a hook, t', at its upper end, the pitman i?, and the gear-wheels GZ-h, substantially as described.

13. A pivoted cutting-blade, M, having two straight right-angled edges and provided with a notch, '1n/,in combination' with sliding bar N, with a pin, n, substantially asdescribed.

14. The spiral band-holder, in combination with the slotted plate L and vibrating cuttingblade M, substantially as described.

l5. The pivoted cutting-blade, constructed substantially asspeciiied, in combination with the sliding bar N, provided with 'stud-pin 'n and angular rod n2,'connected to the bar at one end and attached to thevibrating lever F'at the other, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

16. The spool-support lo, arranged vtransversely over the receiver, whereby it operates also as a grain-guard, substantiallyas described.

`17. A driving-cam cylinder, F, provided with a cam-groove, f, 'of the shape-described, in combination with the rock-shaft U and the vibrating lever F', and mechanism connecting these two devices respectively to the bindingarm and the tying devices, substantially as specified, whereby the entire binding apparatus is driven by the cam at the proper intervals and is locked during the required intervals of rest, substantially as described..

18; A revolving tyer-shaft,vin combination with a pitman positively connected at one end to the driving-wheel which rotates saidl shaft, and knotting devices mounted on said shaft and positively connected to the other end'of the pitman, whereby a positive movementis given to the knotting devices by the movement of the pitman in both directions, to tie the band while the tyer is rotated, substantially as described.

YCHAS. B. WITHIN GTON Witnesses:

J. H. BALCH, B. B. ELDREDGE.

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